Three dimensional integrated circuit having redundant through silicon via base on rotatable cube

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provides a three dimensional integrated circuit and a method for repairing the three dimensional integrated circuit which dispose a signal through silicon via (STSV) or a redundant through silicon via (RTSV) for each basic unit in which a through silicon via (TSV) and a switch are combined and connect repair paths among the basic units to efficiently repair a defective through silicon via which exists in a dense area by using a small number of redundant resources.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A three dimensional integrated circuit comprising:
 a plurality of through silicon vias having a plurality of signal through silicon vias passing through the three dimensional integrated circuit and one or more redundant through silicon vias; and 
 a plurality of switches connected to the plurality of through silicon vias, respectively to transmit/receive an electrical signal, 
 wherein each of the plurality of switches includes a demultiplexer, wherein each demultiplexer forms a signal path for transferring an electrical signal to (i) one of the plurality of through silicon vias and (ii) some of the plurality of switches, and 
 wherein the demultiplexer included in the switch connected to the through silicon via includes four output terminals that transfer the electrical signal to (i) the through silicon via connected to the switch including the demultiplexer, (ii) the switch connected in a first direction, (iii) the switch connected in a second direction, and (iv) the switch connected in a third direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The three dimensional integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a basic unit is formed by combining (i) one of the plurality of signal through silicon vias and the one or more redundant through silicon vias and (ii) one of the plurality of switches,
 wherein one basic unit is connected to a plurality of different basic units, transmits the electrical signal to some basic units among the plurality of different basic units, and receives the electrical signal from the remaining basic units among the plurality of basic units, 
 wherein the basic units are disposed in areas acquired by dividing a plane of a virtual three dimensional cube, and 
 wherein the plurality of through silicon vias and the plurality of switches form a signal path in which the electrical signal is transmitted or received between (i) the areas acquired by dividing the plane of the virtual three dimensional cube and (ii) corresponding areas by rotating the areas acquired by dividing the plane of the virtual three dimensional cube based on a virtual axis passing through a center of the virtual three dimensional cube. 
 
     
     
       3. The three dimensional integrated circuit of  claim 2 , wherein the total number of the plurality of switches is a number acquired by totaling the number of the plurality of signal through silicon vias and the number of the one or more redundant through silicon vias. 
     
     
       4. The three dimensional integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the switch connected to the signal through silicon via among the plurality of switches includes: four input terminals that receive the electrical signal from (i) the signal terminal which exists in the basic unit at which one switch is positioned, (ii) the switch connected in the first direction, (iii) the switch connected in the second direction, and (iv) the switch connected in the third direction. 
     
     
       5. The three dimensional integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the switch connected to the redundant through silicon via among the plurality of switches includes: three input terminals that receive the electrical signal from (i) the switch connected in the first direction, (ii) the switch connected in the second direction, and (iii) the switch connected in the third direction. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switch connected to the signal through silicon via among the plurality of switches includes: four input terminals that receive the electrical signal from (i) the signal terminal which exists in the basic unit at which one switch is positioned, (ii) the switch connected in the first direction, (iii) the switch connected in the second direction, and (iv) the switch connected in the third direction. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switch connected to the redundant through silicon via among the plurality of switches includes: three input terminals that receive the electrical signal from (i) the switch connected in the first direction, (ii) the switch connected in the second direction, and (iii) the switch connected in the third direction. 
     
     
       8. A method for repairing a three dimensional integrated circuit having a plurality of through silicon vias, the method comprising:
 providing a signal path through one or more redundant through silicon vias passing through the three dimensional integrated circuit when a failure occurs in some of a plurality of signal through silicon vias passing through the three dimensional integrated circuit; and 
 transmitting/receiving an electrical signal by connecting a plurality of switches to the plurality of through silicon vias, respectively, 
 wherein each of the plurality of switches includes a demultiplexer, wherein each demultiplexer forms a signal path for transferring the electrical signal to (i) one of the plurality of through silicon vias and (ii) some of the plurality of switches, and 
 wherein the demultiplexer included in the switch connected to the through silicon via includes four output terminals that transfer the electrical signal to (i) the through silicon via connected to the switch including the demultiplexer, (ii) the switch connected in a first direction, (iii) the switch connected in a second direction, and (iv) the switch connected in a third direction. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein a basic unit is formed by combining (i) one of the plurality of signal through silicon vias and the one or more redundant through silicon vias and (ii) one of the plurality of switches,
 wherein one basic unit is connected to a plurality of different basic units, and transmits the electrical signal to some basic units among the plurality of different basic units and receives the electrical signal from the remaining basic units among the plurality of basic units, 
 wherein the basic units are disposed in areas acquired by dividing a plane of a virtual three dimensional cube, and 
 wherein the plurality of through silicon vias and the plurality of switches form a signal path in which the electrical signal is transmitted or received between (i) the areas acquired by dividing the plane of the virtual three dimensional cube and (ii) corresponding areas by rotating the areas acquired by dividing the plane of the virtual three dimensional cube based on a virtual axis passing through a center of the virtual three dimensional cube. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the total number of the plurality of switches is a number acquired by totaling the number of the plurality of through silicon vias and the number of the one or more redundant through silicon vias.